Behind blue eyes
by LaserFocus
Summary: Emma hates group and partner projects, especially when she doesn't get to pick her own partner. But this partner turns out to be someone she should've already known...


Emma hated any type of a group project. Her dislike for them had started back in 3rd grade when she'd ended up in a group with three boys and they had taken all the credit for the finished project but she'd been the one who'd done all the work.

Since that day whenever group or partner projects where brought up Emma had made sure that she would be grouped with her friends or at least with someone who would pull their own weight without dragging down her grade.

The problem now however was that she didn't know the other people in her class, had yet to make any new friends and the professor had already decided who would pair with whom. First college partner project and she was going in blind.

"…and to keep it simple I just used the register list so, if you dislike who you're partnered with? Blame your parents for giving you that last name." the overly preppy professor said before starting to go through the names.

Emma rolled her eyes, so her last name was going to be deciding her partner? That was even worse than a teacher deciding at random. At least that's what earlier experience told her.

"…Emma Hayes and Carlee Hill."

As her name was called she quickly scanned the remaining people in the class and her eyes finally landed on the girl two seats over with honey colored hair and dressed in a blue top. The other girl met her gaze and they smiled hesitantly at each other before gathering their stuff together so that they could leave to room in order to discuss their project.

They walked out of the lecture hall side by side and as the excited the room they continued walking until they reached one of the many study tables that were placed all over campus.

Sitting down across from each other they smiled awkwardly at each other for a moment before Emma snapped out of it.

"Well, if we're going to do this let's get the awkwardness out of the way. I'm Emma." she said, holding her hand out to the other girl who took it with a grin.

"And I'm Carlee. Nice to meet you."

"You too…" Emma said, trailing off as she looked the other girl in the eyes and a feeling of familiarity settled over her. She knew those eyes. She'd seen them before…

"Uh… Emma?" Carlee said, twisting nervously in her seat as the blond across from her studied her intently.

"Sorry… it's just… You remind me of someone I know… but anyway are you from around here?" she asked, wanting to get to know who she was going to be doing this project with.

Carlee shook her head. "No, I was born and raised in Washington D.C. and just moved here for college."

"You moved to Virginia Beach? For college?" Emma asked with confusion written all over her face and as Carlee nodded her head Emma couldn't stop herself from asking her next question.

"Why?"

The girl on the other side snorted. "I'm guessing you're from around here?"

"Yeah, born and raised. I originally planned to go to school in New York but after all that has happened in the last year or so I just couldn't leave my family. So I stayed local."

"That's kinda why I'm here too…" Carlee said before stopping herself.

"What do you mean?"

Carlee blew out a deep breath and looked down at the table for a moment before looking back up at Emma again.

"My mom informed me a while back that I have a half brother who lives down here. Since I've only met my dad like twice in the past 5 years I want to try and find my brother."

"Wow. Holy crap, that's some kind of curve ball. Is he older or younger than you?" Emma asked, curious now.

"Apparently he's older. By a lot. I don't know exactly by how much but mom said he was at least 10 years older than me."

"Do you… I mean… how do you know he lives here?"

"Dad was in the navy and apparently my brother followed in dad's footsteps. At least that's what mom told me." Carlee said and Emma felt like someone had just put a puzzle in front of her that was quickly turning in to a picture she knew.

"The navy, huh?" Emma said, looking at her partner with new eyes and the closer she looked the more she thought she saw little things that the girl in front of her had in common with one of the most important people in her life. "My dad and boyfriend is in the navy too…"

Knowing that this wasn't the time or place for any of the questions Emma wanted to ask, she shook her head to clear it.

"What do you say about us heading off campus for a project planning session? I'm already sick of this place and this is only our second week." she asked and got to her feet.

Carlee did the same and nodded her head in agreement.

"Yeah, I'm down with that. What place did you have in mind?"

Emma bit her lip. She knew where she wanted to go, which was the same place she had planned to go after school anyway, but was bringing Carlee there the right thing to do?... Oh well.

"I've been staying at my boyfriend's apartment more than in my dorm because I can't handle my roommate and I'm supposed to meet him there later. Want to head over there?"

Carlee hesitated. "Won't he be mad about the fact that you're bringing random people over to his place?"

'Not so sure you're random people…' Emma thought to herself but instead she shook her head.

"He won't care. His place is pretty much our place since dad had to sell my childhood home."

"Ok, I'm in. Any place is better than here or the dorms to be honest." Carlee said with a shrug and they both shouldered their backpacks and headed out to the parking lot where Emma's car was parked.

* * *

Emma unlocked the door to apartment 324 and held it open for Carlee who was standing next to her in the hallway.

"Welcome to my third home. Also known as my boyfriend's place." she said with a grin as they both entered and she closed the door behind them.

Carlee looked around room and grinned as she turned towards Emma.

"This sure doesn't look like a man's apartment. Did you decorate it?" she asked as she took in all the small things that most men didn't pay attention to – like the fresh flowers, picture frames and small trinkets.

Emma smiled back at her new friend. "I did. Before we even got together, actually. My mom, my aunts and my best friends helped but it turned out exactly as I planned."

"How did you guys meet?" Carlee asked as Emma gestured for her to sit down on the couch.

"Clay works with my dad. My dad is actually his boss."

"Your dad is your boyfriend's boss? That doesn't sound like a friction free relationship?"

"Uhm, no. There were some struggles for sure and dad had to be talked over and convinced but it turned out ok. We've been together for almost a year and a half now." Emma answered, smiling at the thought of her boyfriend and how they got to where they were.

They both sat silent for a while and then Emma shot to her feet.

"Do you want something to drink before we get started on planning?" she asked, making her way over to the kitchen area. "I need coffee."

"Coffee would be great." Carlee said and as Emma turned toward the coffee maker Carlee stood up from the couch and made her way over to the picture wall that Emma had put together over the last year.

Scanning the pictures she smiled at the amount of times Emma appeared in them. Alone, with group of men, with a young boy, with a group of women, alongside two girls their age and, most frequently with a man who never seemed to look at the camera – only at Emma.

"I assume this is the boyfriend?" she asked, pointing at a picture where Emma was smiling in to the camera and a man was kissing her on her head.

Emma glanced over her shoulder and smiled when she saw what Carlee was pointing at.

"Yeah, that's Clay."

"Does he ever turn his face fully towards a camera?"

Emma pressed the power button on the coffee maker and then joined Carlee by the wall.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, there's like 30 pictures on this wall and I can't see you boyfriend's full face in any of them?"

Emma raised an eyebrow and then looked at the different pictures she'd assembled over the past year. It only took her a few seconds to realize that Carlee was right; Clay didn't look at the camera in any of them.

"Huh… I've never noticed that before." she said thoughtfully.

"I guess he's always too busy looking at you." Carlee said with a grin and bumped Emma's hip.

Emma snorted in answer and shook her head. Apparently so.

* * *

About two hours later Emma and Carlee were on their third cups of coffee and the living room table were littered with papers, books and their computers as they tried to map out what they were going for in order to get the best grade possible out of this project.

"Ok. I need a break. My brain can't handle any more information." Emma said, tossing the book she'd been reading down on the table.

"Oh, thank god." Carlee answered and closed the lid on her computer and pushed it to the side before leaning her head against the couch's backrest.

Emma glanced over at the girl beside her and decided that now was as good a time as any.

"So… this brother of yours. What do you know about him? Maybe I can help you find him? My dad and Clay are both in the navy and have a lot of contacts…"

Carlee's head snapped towards Emma at lightening speed.

"Really?"

"Really." Emma said. "I've grown up in this community and if there's one thing I know is that we always help each other and if I can help you find your brother I will."

Carlee's smile wobbled a little as she nodded her head and then she took a deep breath as she gathered her thoughts.

"Ok so, I know next to nothing about him to be honest. I know he's about 10 years or so older than me, he's in the navy and he's stationed here in Virginia Beach. Dad has never mentioned him and mom said my brother didn't live here in the states when she first got together with my dad."

Emma had to bite the inside of her cheek as another thing added up.

"Do you know where he lived?" she asked. If Carlee said Liberia…

"No clue. I had so many questions for my mom but she had virtually no answers. I don't think she has even met him."

"Are your parents still together? Because I thought you said you've only seen your dad a few times in the last years?"

Carlee shrugged. "I don't understand their relationship to be honest. Dad's never around because he's always traveling the country for his book or something but when he's in D.C he always stays with us and they go out on dates or whatever…"

Emma froze as Carlee told her about her parents. Her dad wrote a book? There was way too many things adding up here and she couldn't ignore it any longer.

Taking a deep breath Emma turned so that she was facing the other girl and placed a hand on her knee.

"This is probably gonna sound weird or crazy and you might freak out or something but… I have to ask."

"Ask what?" Carlee wondered, suspicion and hesitation clearly showing in her eyes.

"Your dad wouldn't happen to be Ash Spenser, would he?"

Carlee just gaped at her for a moment, stunned.

"How… what… but… how did you know that?!"

Emma blew out the breath she hadn't even realized she was holding as her new friend confirmed what she'd suspected since she first looked into Carlee's eyes.

"Because my dad is a Navy SEAL. My boyfriend is a Navy SEAL. And your dad was a Navy SEAL. And I no longer have to help you find your brother, because I already know him."

* * *

Clay opened the door to his apartment with a smile already on his face because he knew Emma was going to be waiting on him inside since her car was parked outside.

"Hey, Birdie, do you want to go out for dinner today or do you…" he trailed off as he realized that Emma wasn't the only one seated on his couch.

"Oh, sorry, didn't know you had a friend over." he said as Emma walked over to him and gave him a soft kiss.

"Yeah. This is my classmate Carlee… Carlee this is my boyfriend Clay." Emma said, introducing the two.

Carlee waved awkwardly from the couch and Clay nodded at the girl.

"Nice too meet you."

"Yeah… you too…" Carlee said in what came out as a whisper.

Emma looked from her boyfriend to Carlee and then put her hand on Clay's back.

"Bear, why don't you have a seat for a moment, there's something I… we… need to tell you."


End file.
